At PAX Unplugged 2025, Jimmy Wong and Dave Guskin treated fans to a flashy peek behind the curtain of Riftbound. New champions, fresh gameplay mechanics, collectible upgrades, and a roadmap stretching into 2026: if you thought Origins was just the beginning, Spiritforged and everything after might just supercharge the Riftbound experience.
New Champions – Legendary Lineup for Spiritforged
Twelve new “Spiritforged” Champion-Legends were revealed, promising a roster shake-up with diverse styles and play-patterns:
Azir (Calm / Order)
Draven (Fury / Chaos)
Ezreal (Mind / Chaos)
Fiora (Body / Order)
Jax (Calm / Body)
Rumble (Mind / Fury)
Rek’Sai (Fury / Order)
Ornn (Calm / Mind)
Sivir (Body / Chaos)
Lucian (Fury / Body)
Renata Glasc (Calm / Order)
Irelia (Body / Chaos)
Each champ brings a different flavor – from tactical control to raw aggression – and should mix up metagames in interesting ways once Spiritforged lands.
New Mechanics & Gameplay Features
Spiritforged isn’t just about new faces. It also introduces major mechanical upgrades to the game’s design, adding layers that could reshape how decks are built and matches play out.
Riftbound
Gold
A new resource mechanic where “Gold” acts as a one-time gear token. Instead of recycling runes to pay Power costs, players can spend a Gold token – offering more flexibility and strategic depth.
Riftbound
Repeat
Some spells and cards now carry a “Repeat” cost: pay it when you play the card, and you get to use the effect a second time (with fresh target choices if desired). It’s essentially “do-it-twice” – which could lead to explosive combos and clutch plays.
Equipment (Gear Subtype)
Riot is revamping how gear works. “Equipment” cards are a subtype of gear that you attach to units, enhancing or modifying their capabilities. That means more customization and “build your champion how you want” moments.
On top of Equipment, two new abilities hit the table:
Quick-Draw – allows you to play equipment as a reaction and instantly attach it to a unit you control. Think “pull-out-the-sword-right-in-the-heat-of-battle.”
Riftbound
Weaponmaster – units with this ability get their equipment for one less Power than usual, capturing that classic “grizzled, gear-ready veteran” flavor.
These mechanics are a signal: Riot intends Riftbound to evolve beyond simple curve-and-power, into a more dynamic, choice-driven TCG.
Collectability and Alternate Art – For the Hoarders Among Us
For players who love collecting as much as playing, Spiritforged brings goodies. The team confirmed: alternate art cards, over-numbered variants, and even over-numbered Champion units (for cards originally from Origins) will be part of the mix.
Specifically:
- 30 Over-numbered cards in Spiritforged,
- 12 of them with special “Signature” variants,
Plus chances to pull over-numbered versions of beloved Origins champs (like Ahri, per their example).
Riftbound
If you’re a collector, or want to drop coin for rare art, this could be a big incentive to jump in when the set drops.
Release Dates & Organized Play / Competitive Outlook
Here’s what fans and competitors should expect:
Spiritforged launch: December 12, 2025 (China) / February 13, 2026 (English/global)
Next sets slated for 2026: After Spiritforged comes,
Unleashed (May 2026),
then Vendetta,
then Radiance in Q4 of 2026.
Regional Qualifiers (first batch for 2026): Bologna (Italy) – Feb 20–22, 2026; Las Vegas (USA) – Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026
Overall plan: around a dozen RQs globally in 2026, culminating in the first-ever Riftbound Regional Championship by year-end.
Translation: If you’re thinking of going competitive – whether casually or serious – this new release schedule means lots of opportunities to play, test decks, and chase promo gear throughout the year.
What This Means for Players (and Why It’s Big)
More variety. New champions + new mechanics = more deck-building creativity and less stale “same old” meta.
Deeper gameplay. Features like Repeat, Gear/Equipment, Weaponmaster and Gold push Riftbound toward a more interactive, strategic TCG – not just “play big stuff, win.”
Collector satisfaction. Alternate art, over-numbered cards and signature variants make the set appealing even for non-competitive players.
Competitive momentum. With structured events and a global schedule, Riftbound isn’t just another card game – it’s shaping up to (try to) become a serious eSports-adjacent TCG.
For new players: this is a great time to hop in – there will likely be many fresh decks, and with global release synchronized soon, you won’t feel behind long. For veterans: keep an eye out for meta shifts, and maybe start theory-crafting those crazy Repeat + Equipment combos.
What to Watch Next
Card-by-card reveals – especially for Equipment, new champions, and over-numbered arts.
Pre-Rift and Nexus-Night promos (for Spiritforged) – epic opportunity for early loot and collector cards.
Riftbound
Tournament meta & decklists – as Regional Qualifiers roll out, expect top-tier decks to form fast.
Community response and feedback – new mechanics always bring surprises; how the player base reacts will shape what’s “viable.”
Final Thoughts
Riftbound just leveled up. The PAX Unplugged panel dropped a bombshell – more than just a sequel to Origins, Spiritforged looks like a full evolution. New champions, deeper mechanics, global organized play, and collectible upgrades all point to Riftbound aiming not just for a hobby-game crowd… but for the long haul.
If you’re into TCGs, or just curious about what’s coming next, now’s the moment to pay attention.
Check out my review here.
